It's okay, name names! I will be the first one to fully admit, that my passion for debating political issues is high. Problem is though, many people tend to take that passion personally and interpret it as anger. This is especially true when a conservative sees a liberal actually show some backbone and have the balls to fight, sometimes savagely for their position. Liberals are supposed to be mousy little pussies; that's how conservatives paint them and their strategy has long been to just outshout and become more aggressive and liberals run away like cowards.

So, when you get a liberal who shouts back just as loud and gets just as aggressive, conservatives are shocked and confused so they label the liberal as angry and attacking. Yeah, I know the narrative well. The thing is, I am totally unapologetic abut fighting for the things I believe in and doing so aggressively.

That does not equate to anger though and the important thing to realize is that that a political forum is a place where that level of arguing is to be expected and thin skinned people tend to take offense easily. One thing you don't seam to mention is that some of us who will fight bitterly over a political difference in a political forum leave it at the door. Every member on this forum has seen me and some go at it toe toe in a political battle but when we talk in the gear or coaching threads is mutually respectful and friendly. This is the point blunted nose was making so many pages ago. New people jump to conclusions too soon without actually seeing the true long term interactions of senior members.

You bring up political battles in a thread that was the result of my having to moderate and lock a thread that became way too heated and personal over pro snowboarders. This had nothing to do with politics dude! Of all of shit storms I or the other admins and mods have to intervene, almost none are the result of the politics section. Every mod and admin will agree with me on this. I can't remember that last thread that needed to be locked in politics or the last member to get banned over a battle in politics.

We totally allow a much higher level of heated exchange in the politics section than elsewhere on the forum because that is the place fir that kind of exchange and why it is kept in it's own subforum. The gear, general, coaching, trips, etc section is an are we expect people to refrain from that and welcoming and friendly and helpful. We are going to moderate more in these sections because we want a different tone. It is not hypocrisy to react one way in the politics section then act and expect others to act a different way out here. There is a time a place for everything and what's okay in politics is not okay out here. I just think you don't fully understand these nuances, therefore you use politics as an example as you did.

Snowolf,

I'll agree with your point about not understanding the nuances between the political threads and others. I guess I never really drew a line between the two, however, it is not always politics...that was just an easy example to throw out, especially with the last election.

I guess I go with the motto of, If I wouldn't have the balls to say it to your face and be ready to throw down, then I shouldn't say it. I've deleted many threads I was about to post after I thought about how it would come across.

Not trying to force my opinion on anyone on here, just throwing it out there since it is my opinion.